Even though Ben Simmons has said he will never play another game for the Philadelphia 76ers, Doc Rivers hasn't changed his stance on the Aussie. The Sixers head coach made an appearance on First Take during Wednesday's episode and made it clear that he still wants Simmons to be part of Philly's core:
"We hear it all, but we're not going to give up on that…I just love how [Ben Simmons] plays. I love a lot of the things that he does for the team…but we have to go through all this to get him back"
-Sixers Coach Doc Rivers on @FirstTake
— Marc Farzetta (@MarcFarzetta) September 22, 2021
Surely, it will be a task in itself for the Sixers to sway Ben Simmons back in the direction of staying with the team. He is refusing to show up to training camp but at this point, there have been no enticing trade packages that would be worth shipping him out of town.
Indeed, Rivers has a point. Simmons does a lot of things right, despite his poor shooting. There aren't many players across the Association who can guard all five positions. He's also a tremendous rebounder and playmaker. It was clear, his confidence was in the sewer during the playoffs for the Sixers.
Rivers also noted that Philadelphia has even hired a free throw and shooting coach to help Simmons' struggles. Evidently, the team is doing everything imaginable to fix this relationship. At just 25-years-old, there is so much left in the tank for Simmons. A fresh start elsewhere could be a good idea, but Rivers believes that Ben Simmons can still be an important piece to the Sixers.
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